


Best Worst Influence

by Lauren (notalwaysweak)



Series: Dread: the Lost Year [4]
Category: Sagas of Sundry, Sagas of Sundry: Dread
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Kissing, Light Bondage, M/M, Oral Sex, Photography, Sex Work, warning: contains feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 09:37:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12273753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notalwaysweak/pseuds/Lauren
Summary: Tanner buys himself a Christmas present.





	Best Worst Influence

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Arkham for another excellent beta, and Amber for raking my punctuation across the coals. And darling Dreadnauts, thank you for your patience while I finished this; I do hope it was worth the wait.
> 
> * * *

 

“It’s getting so hard to shop for you, darling, so I hope you don’t mind that we only got you money this year,” Tanner’s mother says as Tanner looks at the envelope, the only thing under the Christmas tree that bears his name. 

“It’s fine, Mom. Thank you. Thank you, Dad.” Tanner takes the envelope and finesses the card out without looking at the money. Counting it in front of them seems rude, as though he’s expecting a certain amount. 

“I assume you need some sort of camera equipment,” Tanner’s father says. “I know you’ve been earning enough to buy whatever you want, but we’re happy to contribute where we can.” 

_And a Merry fucking Christmas to you too, Dad. Convenient how you support me now I’m making money off this, instead of telling me it’s a waste of time._ “Thanks,” Tanner repeats. 

He gives them their gifts: a fine blue glass vase for his mother, along with a pretty bouquet of desert roses and thin grasses; a bottle of reasonably expensive Scotch for his father, because as much as he hates it when the old man gets drunk, maybe he’ll take it slow with something nice. 

“Oh, darling, it’s lovely. Like the desert meeting the sea.” 

“There must be some nice stores up in the city,” Tanner’s father agrees, holding the bottle up to the light and admiring the amber liquid in much the same way as Tanner’s mother admires the sparkle of her vase. 

“I’ll be sure to use my Christmas money at a good store,” Tanner says. 

Then his grandparents arrive, both sets at once, and a variety of aunts, uncles, and cousins, and Tanner goes through the same thing again on a smaller scale each time. The money from his grandparents is in check form; his gift to both couples is a photo book he put together himself, an array of vistas from around town and further afield interspersed with candid shots of his parents and himself. 

As though his father’s approval of his photography has flipped a switch, suddenly everyone’s happy to talk about and admire it. Tanner takes photos of the neatly laid table both before and after food, of everyone seated around it, smiling, and has a small smile of his own when he sees that nobody seems to be forcing their expressions. He gets shots of his mother and one of the aunts washing dishes and flicking suds at the camera; of his father and grandparents out back having post-meal cigarettes; of four cousins bickering around the Monopoly board. 

It's only natural, then, to excuse himself to his darkroom while everyone falls slowly into an afternoon of rest. He leaves the small stack of regular gifts (cologne, two ties, a set of monogrammed hankies, a digital watch, half a dozen greeting cards) on his bed, but keeps the cash envelope in his pocket. 

While he does start processing the roll of film, eager to show his extended family the results (though not enough to invite anyone to watch the process), his main interest is in counting the money. 

It’s not only more than he expected, it’s more than he needs. He can get the telephoto lens he’s been coveting plus enough rolls of film to make a sizeable bundle, plenty to impress parents who aren’t the best judge of equipment costs. 

And he can get the gift he’s been promising himself. 

Tanner slips the picture of Kayden out of the folio where he’s hidden it among some not quite right wedding photos. His own tryptophan-induced lassitude does not extend down to his cock, which started getting hard the moment that he closed the darkroom door behind himself. 

Strictly speaking he no longer needs the picture to be able to imagine Kayden’s sex-struck face, but it’s nice to be able to look into photo-Kayden’s eyes and imagine the real thing. Up close. In person. 

And now a matter of _when_ , not _if_ . 

* * *

Early on the Saturday night between Christmas and New Year, Tanner breezes nervously into the store, smiles at Tiff—who returns the smile with a shit-eating grin, a wink, and a thumbs up—and goes straight in back. He’s tense enough to feel it but hey, fake it ‘til you make it. 

He doesn’t think he’ll need to fake it long. 

He’s confident about this. 

There’s a guy exiting as Tanner enters, and the light at the far end is red, and the guy looks pretty much the way Tanner imagines he himself looks after a blowjob; relaxed and a little dazed. 

It’s funny; he feels like he should be jealous, but the image of Kayden on his knees for _anyone_ has him revved up. 

The door to Kayden’s side of the glory hole booth begins to swing open, and Tanner dives for the nearest open booth, shoving his tokens in and getting the door closed as fast as he can. It’s not like he plans to use the tokens for Kayden anyway. 

It doesn’t help that the movie features a man flat on his back while another man fucks his face so hard Tanner can see the head of his cock moving in the first guy’s throat. Even though they look nothing like either Kayden or Tanner, it doesn’t hurt to imagine. He can’t decide whether he’d rather be the guy lying down or the guy standing up, taking or giving. Both. Either. Right now anything would be good. He palms the front of his pants, willing his cock to calm the fuck down, but his cock is too familiar with this place by now and is probably wondering why it isn’t already in Kayden’s mouth. 

Tanner peeks out of the booth, down to the end of the line. 

Green. 

Some other lucky guy will get the benefit of his tokens; Tanner steps out of the booth and hustles down to the end. 

The small space smells of come, but it’s clean. On a whim Tanner sticks a couple of condoms in his pocket. Not that he doesn’t already have some, plus lube, in the small bag slung over his shoulder, but some sense of nostalgia has grabbed him. Stupid. Latex is latex. 

He taps on the partition, and Kayden taps back, a generic _customer waiting_ / _mouth ready_ exchange. 

Now. 

Tanner extracts the film canister from his bag and unrolls the notes. 

He starts feeding the twenties through the hole, one by one. He feels Kayden take the first one, then the second, and then there’s a moment of hesitation when he pushes the third one through before Kayden accepts it. The fourth one is received with a low murmur of, “what the _fuck_ .” He puts the fifth and sixth through together and hears Kayden make a very complicated gasp-moan, like maybe he’s starting to figure it out. Seven; eight. “ _Jesus_ ,” Kayden says, and then, “what the _fuck_ ,” again when Tanner pushes the last two through. 

Then he pushes the results of his own VD test through: all clear. 

Tanner gives Kayden a solid thirty seconds to take in the implications, and then leans in close to the hole. He can see very little, just Kayden’s bowed head, the mohawk sticking up, looking more pink than purple in the dim light. 

“Your place or mine?” 

Kayden’s head comes up with a jerk. “Are you _buying_ me?” His eyes are wide. 

Tanner smirks at him. “Are you objecting?” 

“Shit. I... _fuck_ .” 

“We can stay here if you want but I don’t think it will be comfortable enough for what I want from you.” 

Kayden’s tongue darts across his lips. “My shift—I can’t just walk out—” 

Tanner puts his fingers through the bottom of the hole. “I’ll be outside the café down the street. Get up, come out, tell Tiff that you’ve said yes, and I think you’ll find you can walk wherever you want.” 

He feels Kayden’s fingertips meet his and presses them together for a moment before rising to his feet. 

Tiff gives him a questioning look as Tanner passes through the store. Tanner lifts one shoulder in a shrug. Tiff nods and glances toward the curtain; whether she goes in there to haul Kayden out and send him after Tanner, Tanner doesn’t know. He just keeps walking, out through the black front entryway, out onto the street, down to the café. 

Maybe he’s just blown two hundred bucks, to say nothing of the fifty he gave Tiff to persuade her to help him out (not that she needed much persuading; she seems to adore their weird little _affaire de cœur_ . Or _de pénis_ , as the case might be). If so he’s going to spend the last of his cash from this latest job on coffee and a muffin, go back to the tiny room he rents when he has to stay overnight in the city, and hump the mattress until he falls asleep. Or just straight up drive home and never look back. 

He stands outside the café, looking at the muffins and cakes on display by the register, and has just about decided on carrot cake when Kayden touches his shoulder. 

“My car’s this way.” Kayden jerks his head toward an alley. “Come on.” 

“I intend to.” 

“Shut up. Don’t say it out here.” 

Tanner shuts up and lets Kayden lead the way. 

They get as far as both being seated in the car before Kayden says, “My place. I don’t even want to think about what kind of shitty hostel you’ve been staying in.” 

“It varies.” 

“Yeah, cardboard box to Bates Motel.” 

“What makes you say that?” 

Kayden starts the car. “Because you’re spending all your money on _me_ .” 

The only other thing that Kayden says before they get to his apartment building is, “How did you know I was back at work already?” 

“Because you weren’t at home.” 

“You went to my _house_ ?” 

“I went by the trailer park to take photos for an upcoming civic display, and your car wasn’t there. Your mom said you’d gone back to the city to get a head start on next semester’s big project.” 

“So you _did_ go to my house.” 

“Just to do some research before embarking on my own big project.” 

Kayden cracks up, pounding the wheel a little with one fist. “That’s my Tanner. You _dork_ .” 

Tanner sneaks his hand onto Kayden’s knee, like they’re back in high school stealing discreet touches, and it stays there until they get to Kayden’s place. 

* * *

Kayden’s apartment is on the fourth floor. The elevator creaks its way upward. The two of them stand side by side, not touching, Kayden examining his chipped black nail polish. 

They get to the fourth floor and Kayden leads Tanner down to the end of the hallway, unlocking his apartment door and grandly gesturing for Tanner to enter. 

402 faces out onto the street. It’s more or less one big room; the two other doors are presumably the bathroom and a closet, although the way that Kayden’s clothes are thrown all over the place suggests he probably doesn’t use it. The kitchenette is a mess but not actually dirty; it’s just too much stuff in too small a space. There’s a small TV and VCR combo perched on a folding table where Kayden can watch it in bed. 

The bed is a double, a damn sight better than the single Tanner has been half expecting, and an infinite improvement over the glory hole—not that that didn’t serve its purpose. Out of all the disorganized chaos that the room boasts, it alone is pristine, neatly made, spread with a new-looking blanket. 

“Did you have a date planned for tonight?” Tanner asks without turning around. 

“I never make plans.” 

“The bed’s so neat.” 

“I like it that way.” 

Tanner turns around to face Kayden, who has closed and locked the door behind them and is clenching and unclenching his fists. Tanner’s not sure he even knows he’s doing it. 

“We’re going to make a mess of it tonight,” he warns Kayden. 

Kayden shrugs, a willful gleam in his eyes. “If you say so.” 

Tanner wants to physically throw him somewhere, be it against the wall or onto the bed, and bite the smirk off his lips. But that’s the surface. There’s something that runs deeper under Kayden’s smug exterior. Tanner knows this, because he’s got the same deep feeling: the one that drove him to touch Kayden’s fingers through the glory hole so many times, the one that saw him poke Kayden’s safety pin through the collar of his shirt, the one that brought him here tonight. 

“Two hundred bucks gets you basically whatever you want,” Kayden says, making a move to shrug out of his jacket. 

Tanner stops him with his hands on Kayden’s shoulders. Kayden gives him a quizzical look and Tanner steps closer, body pressing Kayden’s against the door. He slides his hands up to cup Kayden’s cheeks and watches Kayden’s eyes close, spiked lashes quivering like angry moth wings against the paleness of his skin. 

Kayden’s lips taste of vanilla Chapstick and his tongue tastes of mint Listerine, which is actually a fucking awful combination, but Tanner focuses on the part where he’s kissing Kayden, finally, and there’s nothing between them but clothes that they can take off any time they like. 

Kayden doesn’t seem to know what to do with his hands, but eventually one settles on Tanner’s lower back, the other on the nape of Tanner’s neck, fidgeting with a few long red strands of hair. He’s not pulling away but he’s not exactly diving in all senses blazing, either. 

He’s definitely kissing _back_ , though. His mouth is restless against Tanner’s, tongue licking along Tanner’s in a way that makes Tanner literally go weak at the knees in a way he thought was just romance novel garbage. 

Tanner breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against Kayden’s. 

“All I want is you. No bullshit.” 

“I—” Kayden’s voice cracks and he tries again. “I’m not sure I remember how ‘no bullshit’ works.” 

Tanner takes two steps back (nearly falling over a milk crate in the process) and holds out his hands, palm up, to Kayden. “Maybe _some_ bullshit?” 

“I’m open to negotiation on the quantity of bullshit,” Kayden says, taking Tanner’s hands and allowing himself to be led to his own bed. 

* * *

They just kiss and hold each other for what subjectively seems to be a few decades, because, as they have learned, one night is a very long time under the right circumstances. Tanner delights in being able to touch Kayden everywhere, not just grabbing his ass to haul him in close, but tracing the curve of his ear with one thumb, twining his legs around Kayden’s, and kissing his neck, his knuckles, the tip of his nose. 

Kayden’s not shy about returning the touches, once he gets the notion that he can into his head. In fact, after what feels like maybe five years of being pressed together, he not so subtly moves them so that he’s lying on top of Tanner, then runs his hands down Tanner’s arms to grasp his wrists, pinning them to the mattress either side of Tanner’s head. This imparts a strange fuzzy quality to Tanner’s thinking. He experimentally tries to pull away and Kayden tightens his grip. Tanner hears a little choked, “Ngh!” sound escape his own mouth and Kayden grins down at him. 

“Good?” 

“Fuck yeah,” Tanner breathes before Kayden’s mouth finds his once more. 

They’ve been kind of grinding against each other most of this time anyway, but Kayden gets serious about it now, lining up the ridge in his jeans with the bulge in Tanner’s chinos and purposefully moving against him. 

“You could’ve asked me for this any time, you know,” Kayden says. 

“I had to be sure it was you in the booth.” 

“ _Before_ ,” Kayden emphasizes, and Tanner freezes up as the implications hit him. 

“Wait, what? You wanted to—” 

“Defile your darkroom? Yes,” Kayden says, smirking down at Tanner. 

Tanner makes a frustrated noise in the back of his throat and tucks his ankles behind Kayden’s knees. “You little shit.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Kiss me.” 

“Are you sure you want to be kissed by a little shit?” 

“As a starting point,” Tanner says, rolling his frustratingly clothed cock against Kayden’s. 

Kayden’s mouth touches down on his, soft, _so_ soft, and Tanner returns the kiss, pushing to deepen it. Kayden’s tongue traces the fullness of his lower lip, flicking at the corner that always winds up tickling. Tanner instinctively tries to lift his hand to rub it and Kayden’s fingers squeeze his wrist. 

“Nuh-uh.” 

Tanner presses his thighs tight against Kayden’s, poking him in the back of the knee with one big toe. So far the only clothes they’ve taken off are their shoes. “You really think you can stop me?” 

“I could tie you up,” Kayden says. 

The sensation of not actually being able to breathe out of surprise is an interesting one. Tanner manages to inhale after a small eternity of feeling stunned. 

“Do you—are you into that?” 

“Why? Are you making a wishlist?” 

“Yeah. It’s got your name on it.” 

“Nerd.” 

“Underlined. Twice. With little hearts.” Tanner’s well aware of how stupid the smile on his face probably looks. “The way Raina writes Darby’s name on stuff.” 

Kayden groans. “You’re a hopeless romantic.” 

Tanner goes to point out the button, can’t do it with his hands, and has to grab Kayden’s jacket with his teeth, tugging it until he can at least vaguely gesture at the button. “So’re you,” he says. 

The way Kayden’s looking at him right now is the way Darby looks at Raina: devoted with a hint of crazy. “So what’s top of your wishlist, two hundred dollar man?” 

“Kiss me,” Tanner says again, and when Kayden complies this time it’s rougher, hotter, and coupled with a good deal of hip thrusting. He lets go of Tanner’s wrists and when Tanner gets his fingers into Kayden’s hair and tugs Kayden lets out a moan like he just came. 

“Fuck I miss that—” He cuts himself off, like he didn’t mean to say anything. 

“Miss what?” 

“Hair pulling. Also, full body contact.” Kayden seems to have decided that now he’s opened his mouth, he might as well tell all. “I love giving head—” 

“—I can tell—” 

“—but being this close…” He wriggles against Tanner. “And God help me, if you tell anyone I said that I’ll drive you out into the desert and leave you there.” 

“You’re allowed to want,” Tanner says simply, giving Kayden’s hair another tug. 

“Wh-what else is on your wishlist?” 

“Stop trying to make this just business.” 

“You paid for me.” 

Tanner changes tack. “You know what? You’re right. I did. So I want an answer.” 

“Tanner, come on, this isn’t Truth or Dare.” 

“When you said I could’ve asked for this any time, what exactly did you mean?” 

“Jesus.” Kayden wets his lips. It’s an interesting position to be in, pressed into the mattress by Kayden’s warm weight, the room illuminated by one lamp that looks ready to toddle off to Lamp Heaven, plus what light’s coming in through the tattered blinds over the window. “It’s not a cryptic crossword clue either.” 

“Kayden.” 

“I would’ve fooled around with you any time,” Kayden blurts out. “Since… I don’t even know. But you were so into Sat… I wasn’t even sure you were into anyone else, let alone guys.” 

“Is that what this is, fooling around?” 

Kayden hesitates. “No-oo?” 

“I didn’t come here to fool around. I didn’t _pay_ you to fool around.” 

“Then what the _hell_ did you pay me for, aside from messing with my brain and giving Tiff something to tease me about for the next month?” 

“I don’t want to fool around,” Tanner repeats. He meets Kayden’s eyes in the low moonlight. “I want you to fuck me.” 

There’s a long silence, then: 

“Jesus. _Jesus_ .” Kayden barks out a laugh. “ _You_ want _me_ to—” 

“You heard me.” 

“I figured you’d had enough of my mouth and wanted to give my ass a try.” 

Tanner shrugs, which is not easy with Kayden on top of him. “Well, you know, we _do_ have all night…” 

Kayden considers the implications of this, makes a complicated noise, and then starts unbuttoning Tanner’s shirt. Tanner likewise begins tugging Kayden’s jacket off his shoulders, and there’s a scramble for a couple of minute as they shed those first layers of clothing, coming back together bare chest to bare chest. Kayden has a little fuzz going on and Tanner rubs against him. 

“I forgot how fucking _tactile_ you are.” 

“Are you complaining?” 

“No.” Kayden kisses Tanner again with a hint of desperation. “Don’t stop.” 

Tanner has no intention of stopping. His hands roam Kayden’s bare back, tracing the bumps of his spine down to the small dimple at the base, fingertips dipping briefly under Kayden’s waistband before wandering back up again. It doesn’t seem to matter what he does—circles, lines, palms, fingertips—Kayden savors it all like a cat getting thoroughly scratched. Tanner turns one hand into a claw and draws his short nails up the length of Kayden’s spine, and Kayden murmurs, “Ah, _fuck_ ,” so quietly Tanner’s not even sure he heard it. 

“What exactly are you expecting this to be like?” Kayden asks, mouth finding Tanner’s earlobe and biting down softly. 

Tanner blinks. “Uh. I don’t know. I just want to.” 

“Far be it from me to try to dissuade you.” 

“Do you, uh, ever really get to, you know, pitch?” 

Kayden looks like he’s holding back laughter. “Not a whole lot,” he says finally, without snickering. “Want to with you, though.” 

They’ve well and truly established _want_ . 

Tanner goes for Kayden’s belt at the same time as Kayden goes for his, and it turns into a tussle over who can get whose pants off fastest. They end up more or less equal, and anyway, considering that it means they both wind up naked and pressed together on the bed, they both win. 

“Where do I even start with you?” Kayden wonders aloud, slowly grinding against Tanner. 

“I’ll leave myself in your hands,” Tanner says, tucking his own hands behind his head though he badly wants to grab Kayden’s ass and rut against him until they both come. Patience, patience. 

“Thank you,” Kayden says in a tone of voice Tanner’s not heard before. 

Despite their current position, the kiss he presses to Tanner’s lips next is soft, almost chaste. It leaves Tanner blinking, lips parted, thoughts jumbled. 

Kayden kisses the hollow at the base of Tanner’s throat, Tanner’s pulse fast against his lips. He teases at one of Tanner’s nipples with his fingernails and Tanner moans as pleasure fizzes along his nerves. Kayden licks the small hard nub, blows gently against Tanner’s saliva-slick skin, and then repeats the treatment on the other side. His expression is studious, taking feedback from Tanner’s sounds and movements, getting a feeling for when he can be a little rougher and when he needs to ease off. He spends enough time just on Tanner’s nipples that Tanner muzzily thinks it’s going to be tomorrow before he gets to feel Kayden inside him. 

“You’re worth taking time over,” Kayden says, and Tanner realizes he said it out loud. “Believe me…” 

Tanner looks down his own lean body, view interrupted by the man lying between his legs and currently pinching his right nipple. He’s not sure what Kayden sees in him, and says so. 

“What do _you_ see in _me_ ?” Kayden retorts. 

“I don’t know how to explain it.” 

“Well. Yeah. Same. I mean, the words I would use are ‘ridiculously fucking pretty’, maybe with an extra emphasis on the ‘ridiculous’ when it comes to your stupid plaid shirts, but—” Kayden shrugs. “The fact that you want me to fuck you is plenty appealing on its own.” 

“Then why’re you taking so long?” 

“It’s called foreplay, asshole. Skip it, and you’re not going to have as much fun as you think you are.” 

Kayden doesn’t give Tanner a chance to respond, too intent on returning to his interrupted feasting on Tanner’s body. He’s gradually working his way down now and, every time he shifts further down the bed, Tanner’s cock drags against his skin, leaving a trail of pre-come. 

He kisses Tanner’s stomach and navel, kisses each hipbone, and then meets Tanner’s eyes dead on while he presses a kiss to the head of Tanner’s cock. 

“Oh, God, Kayden…” 

“Look at you,” Kayden murmurs. “Look at you, you’re too fucking gorgeous to be real.” He takes a long lick at Tanner’s cock this time and Tanner has trouble keeping eye contact. Has trouble, in fact, keeping his eyes open at all. “Open your eyes, come on, I want you to see me this time.” 

Tanner forces his eyes open and props himself up on his elbows, watching as Kayden’s mouth descends upon him, Kayden’s eyes staying on his as long as it’s physically possible. 

He reaches down and touches Kayden’s hair. Despite the amount of wax or gel or whatever he’s got in it, it’s beautifully soft. Kayden makes a muffled noise around Tanner’s cock, and Tanner gives Kayden’s hair a slight tug. 

“God,” Kayden says, lifting his head. “Keep doing that and I’m gonna come.” His voice is too raw for it to be a lie, his hips moving restlessly as he rubs against the blanket. 

Tanner disentangles his fingers. “In that case, hair-pulling can wait until I’ve got your cock in my ass.” 

“Have you even done that before?” 

“I, uh—” 

“I thought not.” Kayden sits up and gives Tanner a swift kiss on the lips before going for his nightstand. The top drawer seems to hold nothing but lube and condoms. Kayden sees Tanner looking and gives him a wry smile. “Believe it or not, I don’t actually have company here that often.” 

“Believe it or not,” Tanner mimics him, “I don’t give a fuck who you have here other times, as long as you focus on me tonight.” 

“Oh, that’s not gonna be a problem.” Kayden fusses around picking the lube he wants, setting out a couple of condoms, and then resuming his position between Tanner’s legs. He kneels there, pushing Tanner’s thighs apart; Tanner spreads for him and Kayden holds the lube bottle over his hand, letting the liquid drip onto his fingers. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this focused in my _life_ .” 

He lifts and lightly squeezes Tanner’s balls with one hand, making Tanner groan, and the tip of one finger with its nail painted black, bitten short, nudges in behind them. Tanner lifts his hips restlessly and Kayden responds by easing his finger in slowly, just to the second knuckle. 

“That okay?” 

“It’s a start.” Tanner reaches down between his own legs, fingers pressing against the back of Kayden’s hand. “Give me more. You won’t break me.” 

Kayden’s grin is cocky and wide. “I might if you want me to.” He pushes his finger right in and curls it and Tanner sees stars. “I might fuck you so hard you never get off this bed again.” 

“Sounds good from here,” Tanner gasps, lifting his hips. “Give me more…” 

Kayden keeps working just the one finger inside Tanner’s slick passage, lazily stroking Tanner’s cock with the other hand. 

“You ever finger yourself?” His eyes are dark and somehow merry, like he’s merely playing Never Have I Ever instead of preparing to fuck Tanner’s ass. 

“Yes.” 

“Get off on it?” 

“Not without jerking off as well.” Tanner’s getting muzzy-brained as Kayden’s finger works inside him. “You?” 

“Yeah. Except it was someone else doing it.” Kayden teases at Tanner’s entrance with a second finger. “If I’m doing it to myself I think too much and I can’t.” 

He presses that second finger inside Tanner and _yes_ , now he’s really starting to get a feel for it, for being stretched slowly open. 

“Hhhh. _Fuck_ . Most times you’ve come in a day?” 

Kayden’s grinning now like this really is a game. “Six and a half. You?” 

“F-four. How do you _half_ come?” 

“Got the feeling but not the juice,” Kayden says cheerfully, ducking his head to lick a bead of pre-come off the head of Tanner’s cock. His fingers are pumping rhythmically in Tanner’s ass now and Tanner’s moving with his hand, rising to meet his fingers. “Did you ever jerk off in the darkroom?” 

“Yes. Oh fuck. _Yes_ .” 

“Are you gonna come like this?” 

Tanner can’t make any verbal response to that, not with Kayden’s breath on his cock and a third finger teasing at his rim. He does shake his head, but not with any real degree of conviction. 

“Do you want me to stop?” Kayden asks gently. There must be a panicked look in Tanner’s eyes, because he amends this to, “Just to let you cool off for a minute.” 

“Yeah. Yeah.” Tanner whines softly when Kayden’s fingers slip out of him. Kayden wipes his fingers off on a surprisingly clean-looking towel and moves up to flop on Tanner, albeit carefully, so neither of them end up with their cocks at awkward angles. 

Having Kayden’s bare cock against his isn’t really doing a whole lot to cool Tanner off. 

“Did you ever put anything other than fingers in your ass?” Kayden asks, kissing Tanner’s somewhat slack lips. 

“I thought about it, but I couldn’t think of anything safe. You?” 

Kayden reaches for the nightstand again and brings out a fairly chunky butt plug. “Apart from other things.” 

“You ever wear that at work?” 

“Sometimes.” 

“Do you get off at work?” 

“Sometimes. Not a lot.” 

“With me?” 

Kayden’s moving restlessly against Tanner, who can feel the smear of pre-come over his skin. “So hard,” he murmurs, and Tanner’s not quite sure if he’s talking about his experience of getting off while sucking Tanner’s dick, or the condition their cocks are currently in. “Yeah. Does that stroke your ego?” 

Tanner slips his hand between their bodies, squeezing their cocks together. “So hard,” he echoes. He forsakes talking then for kissing, his other hand finding Kayden’s hair again, pulling Kayden’s mouth against his. Kayden nips at his lower lip; Tanner growls and bites him in return. 

“This is gonna be a long night,” Kayden says. 

“God, I hope so.” 

Kayden cups Tanner’s cheek, giving him an oddly—vulnerable? look. Yes, vulnerable. It seems that it’s possible to strip away his layers of punk accouterments and snarling bad attitude and find this intimacy that’s about a lot more than just bare skin on bare skin. 

The kiss that follows matches the expression in his eyes. Lying naked and entwined with raging hard-ons and his ass rather interested in having Kayden’s fingers back in it is not exactly a moment Tanner expects to associate with tenderness, but that’s how Kayden kisses him, tongue stroking over his lower lip almost shyly, only pushing for more when Tanner parts his lips and touches Kayden’s tongue with his own. Kayden makes a soft noise, his eyes fluttering closed again. 

This all seems out of order. They started with the glory hole, then kissed when they first came into the apartment, then things got more intense again, and now—now, if Kayden kisses him any more softly, it could just be his imagination. 

“Calmed down a little?” Kayden murmurs against his mouth. 

“ _Very_ little.” Tanner wonders if he looks as dazed as he feels. At some point, God knows when, he’s let go of their dicks for the sake of putting his hand on Kayden’s lower back. This encounter—this _relationship_ —can’t decide whether it wants to be romantic or sexual or both. 

“Good.” Kayden sits up with clear reluctance and locates the lube where it’s rolled almost off the bed. “I don’t want you _too_ calm.” 

“Is there such a thing as too calm for sex?” Tanner bends one knee and cups a hand under his own balls, giving Kayden space to work. 

“I did know a woman who had interesting thoughts about tantric breathing practices to heighten the intensity of orgasms.” Kayden drizzles lube on his fingers. 

“Did they work?” 

“She fell asleep.” Kayden teases at Tanner’s entrance with one fingertip, making him squirm. “One second deep breaths, the next she was out like a light.” 

“Fuck,” Tanner says, apropos of Kayden’s two fingers sliding back inside him. “Ah. Did you—did _you_ get a heightened intensity orgasm out of it?” 

“No.” Kayden’s got his head bowed, looking down at his hand. Tanner can hear soft wet noises. “I pulled out as soon as I realized. I’m not comfortable fucking anyone who can’t say one way or another that they’re okay with what we’re doing.” 

“I’m okay with what we’re doing,” Tanner says immediately. 

“Good.” Kayden presses a third finger in, moving the three in turn like he’s playing a tiny musical instrument inside Tanner. It’s certainly making his body tremble as though Kayden’s plucking his very nerves themselves. “I want you too much to stop now.” 

Tanner closes his eyes and lifts his hips, and this time Kayden doesn’t tell him to watch. He just keeps working Tanner open with long strokes. Tanner’s not even sure how much of this he really needs to be able to take Kayden’s dick, but it feels too good to protest. 

Kayden pulls his hand back after another couple of minutes. Tanner feels the brush of the towel against his thigh as Kayden picks it up to clean off, and then hears the tear of a condom packet opening. He snaps his eyes open again to watch Kayden rolling the condom on, careful concentration on his face as he strokes it along his length. _That’s going in me_ , Tanner thinks. _Oh God_ . 

Kayden meets his eyes. “Still okay?” 

“Still okay,” Tanner says firmly. 

“Still want me to fuck you?” 

“Still want you to fuck me.” 

Kayden fusses around between Tanner’s thighs, smearing lube over the condom, getting Tanner’s legs where he wants them (spread wide, one down, hooking Tanner’s right knee over his left shoulder with ease). He looks down at Tanner’s body, oddly solemn. 

“What?” 

“You’d make a pretty picture right now.” 

Tanner’s about to offer to find his camera—he does have his messenger bag, somewhere—but then Kayden moves in close and the head of his cock is pressed against Tanner’s ass and the thought, _all_ thought, entirely slips Tanner’s mind. 

Kayden rubs himself, hard and blunt, through the slickness he’s created between Tanner’s legs. He’s got an intent look on his face, teasing his tip over Tanner's entrance. 

“Oh—God. Kayden, please.” 

“You’re so hot,” Kayden murmurs in response. “So hot, just _here_ .” He pushes forward a little and Tanner makes a strangled sound. “This will be _so_ good.” 

“ _Please_ !” Tanner reaches out and grabs at Kayden, clawing at his back. 

Kayden relents and finally, _finally_ , pushes inside him. Tanner realizes from the look on his face that all the holding back was as much for Kayden’s benefit as his own; Kayden looks on the verge of immediate explosion. 

“God.” Tanner’s voice cracks. “ _Kayden_ .” 

“Tanner—fuck—” Kayden sinks into him another inch, then leans down to kiss him, poised over him like some pornographic ballet pose. “So _hot_ .” 

Tanner lifts his ass. “More.” 

Kayden’s mouth descends on his again, tongue pushing between his lips, and Kayden’s cock pushes inside him the same, going deep, deep, finally bottoming out within him as Tanner moans and gasps around Kayden’s tongue. Kayden’s hardly silent himself, groaning with the effort both of working his way into Tanner and not immediately coming. 

“Fuu-uck.” Tanner gets his arms around Kayden’s neck and clings to him. “So this is how it feels.” 

“How do you feel?” 

“Like if you don’t start moving soon I’m gonna die.” 

He’s aware of how feverish he must look, mouth kiss-wet and red, hair a mess, face no doubt bright pink. Not to mention melodramatic. He means it, though; Kayden’s holding still to get them both used to the physicality of the situation, but Tanner can feel the minute twitches of Kayden’s cock inside him. 

“I don’t want you to die.” Kayden pulls out a little, pushes back in, testing Tanner with a few short strokes. “Oh, Jesus. I _need_ you not to die. Christ, Tanner, you’re so fucking _hot_ , so fucking _tight_ …” He groans low and long and any thought that Kayden’s just reading off some porno script in his head is wiped away by the sound. 

He starts moving in earnest then, still slowly, but with lengthening strokes. His eyes are closed and his mouth hangs open a little; Tanner thinks he might still be trying to hold off from coming. 

Tanner doesn’t have a whole lot of willpower to lie around contemplating Kayden’s current ability to keep himself in check, though. Kayden’s cock moving in him at all is enough to send his head spinning, that fact: _Kayden’s fucking me. Kayden’s got his dick in my ass and it feels fucking amazing_ . His short nails dig into Kayden’s back; remembering something Kayden said earlier he persuades one hand to stop scrabbling mindlessly and lift into Kayden’s hair, pushing into the currently untamed mohawk and grasping a fistful of strands. 

Kayden pauses again, this time only a third of the way in, breathing fast. 

“Need a minute?” Tanner asks, praying that the answer will be no. 

“I’m gonna—can’t hold back—” 

“Then _don’t_ ,” Tanner says, “ _don’t_ , we have all night, you can go again—” 

Kayden _slams_ into him, hard and deep, and Tanner has enough time to cry out with surprise before Kayden does it again, skin slapping against skin. He’s biting his lip, looking intent, and Tanner very deliberately twists his fingers in Kayden’s hair, reaching down to grab Kayden’s ass with his free hand and dig his nails in. 

“ _Fuck_ —Tanner—yes— _God_ !” Kayden drops his head to Tanner’s shoulder and lets out a long, wordless sound. 

The sensation of Kayden’s cock pulsing inside of him is like nothing he’s ever experienced before. Thinking about it later, he’s never entirely certain whether it’s the feeling or the novelty of the situation that sets him off as well. 

Right here and now, though, he just howls Kayden’s name and bites the juncture of his neck and shoulder, feeling the shooting wetness between them almost as an afterthought to the part where his whole body feels like he’s caught fire. Kayden’s cheek presses against his and Tanner turns his head to find Kayden’s mouth, crying out again with the sound muffled by Kayden’s lips and tongue. 

* * *

“You really _did_ want me to fuck you.” 

“I said so, didn’t I?” 

“God, Tanner…” 

“Kiss, please.” 

“Oh, listen to those charming manners—mfph.” 

* * *

Kayden, being very traditional in some specific ways, calls for pizza. While they’re waiting he ditches the condom, wipes Tanner’s come off his belly, and for a minute it makes Tanner feel hollow, like this was just Kayden’s latest trick. 

Kayden tosses him a damp washcloth. “Clean up.” 

“Okay.” 

Kayden clearly catches Tanner’s tone of voice, because he stops looking for his jeans and kisses Tanner’s forehead. “Just for now, okay? As soon as the pizza guy’s left we can get dirty again.” He gives Tanner a thoroughly wicked smile. “You’re the one who keeps saying we have all night.” 

When the pizza guy arrives they’re both sort of dressed. Kayden pays using one of Tanner’s twenties, which makes for quite an extravagant tip, even though he’s ordered wings and soda along with the pizza. 

“I thought you’d be drinking beer by now. Or whiskey.” 

Kayden sets the pizza down on the rickety card table and offers Tanner the slightly less shitty of the two folding chairs. “This may come as a shock to you, but there are some things I’d rather do sober.” 

Apparently one of those things is to make Tanner spittake, because he’s washing down a mouthful of pizza with a sip of Coke when Kayden says, “I could’ve fucked you back at the store, you know.” 

Tanner clamps a napkin over his nose and mouth just in time. His eyes are watering. “ _What_ ?” 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice the glory hole’s been made bigger.” Kayden gives him another evil grin. “It can be a… _tight_ fit, but…” 

Tanner swallows hard around the lump of pizza stuck in his throat. “That sounds incredibly complicated and uncomfortable.” 

Kayden just does a little head tilt, a noncommittal movement that’s neither a nod nor a shake. “Kind of fun, though.” 

“Have you tried it much?” Tanner blows his nose and tosses the napkin into the trash. 

“Aside from one practice run, no. I was waiting for you.” 

Tanner can’t keep the smile from his face. “And you call _me_ the hopeless romantic.” 

Kayden scoffs and occupies himself with tearing off another slice of pizza, but Tanner can see him blushing. 

“That first time,” Tanner begins. 

“What about it?” Kayden asks, sucking cheese off his fingers in an unfairly distracting manner that makes Tanner’s cock stir eagerly. 

“You did know it was me, didn’t you?” 

“Yup.” Kayden bites the point off the slice. 

“And you went through with it anyway?” 

Kayden chews and swallows. “When else was I going to get the chance?” 

“Sorry, man, I didn’t realize you were so thirsty for my dick.” 

“It wasn’t about that.” Kayden catches himself and laughs. “Well, okay, quite of a lot of it _was_ about that. But partly I just wanted to see what you look like when you’re not walking around like you have a stick up your ass and your parents constantly watching over your shoulder.” 

“And I just wanted to see what I could get away with without my parents constantly watching over my shoulder.” Tanner starts picking at a buffalo wing. “I won’t comment on the part about having anything up my ass.” 

He lets Kayden finish the slice of pizza he’s working on without asking any more questions. Apart from anything else he’s hungry, and suspects— _hopes_ —he’s going to need the energy. 

“Would you really have fucked me at the store?” 

“I would have told you there were more options than usual, but you had to go ahead and have other plans.” 

“Oh no. I’m so sorry we had to have sex in your nice comfortable bed instead of through a hole in the wall where we couldn’t even see each other.” Tanner’s never been great at sarcasm—it’s definitely Kayden’s forte—but he manages to make the words drip with it. “How abysmal of me. Do you have a spare sheet we could cut a h—mph!” 

Kayden’s not so much kissing him to shut him up as initiating a mouth to mouth collision. 

“I’m _fine_ with your other plans,” he informs Tanner, pulling back but not very far. He catches one of Tanner’s bare feet between his own and picks up another wing. “For two hundred bucks I would’ve fucked you on a cactus, as long as we had a blanket.” 

“That sounds ridiculously painful.” 

“Shut up.” Kayden presses the wing against Tanner’s lips. “Eat. And start thinking about whatever’s next on your wishlist.” 

Tanner pulls a chunk of chicken off with his teeth. “Isn’t there anything _you_ want?” 

Kayden’s expression is oddly soft. Or maybe not oddly, considering he’s almost in Tanner’s lap and hand-feeding him. “What I want… it isn’t safe.” 

“Less safe than fucking on a cactus?” 

“Be serious for a minute. I want you to come in my mouth.” 

“But I’ve—” 

“ _Without_ the condom,” Kayden clarifies. “I want to taste you, and swallow every damn drop, and lick you clean.” 

“Jesus, Kayden.” Tanner clears his throat and pushes the chicken wing aside. “I—we could do that.” 

Hope flares in Kayden’s eyes. “Are you _sure_ ?” 

“That test I took gave me the all-clear and that was a week ago. I haven’t had sex with anyone else since then.” He doesn’t add, _or ever_ . “How—how recent’s yours?” 

“Two weeks. Michael covers the costs. It’s expensive, but he looks after us.” Kayden’s hands, a little sticky with sauce, creep into Tanner’s. “I haven’t been with anyone without protection since then. Actually, I’m pretty sure I haven’t been with anyone full stop, outside of work.” 

“Saving yourself for me?” Tanner teases lightly. 

“Don’t push your luck.” 

But there’s something in the way that he says it that suggests maybe Tanner’s not too far off the mark. 

* * *

The next few minutes are taken up with the domestic duties of finding room for the leftover food in the fridge, cleaning hot sauce off their fingers so it doesn’t go anywhere it shouldn’t, and finishing their sodas to rinse out their mouths for much the same reason. 

When Kayden guides Tanner down onto the bed this time, it’s with less of a sense of haste than earlier. 

“So you can come four times in a day,” Kayden says conversationally, unbuttoning Tanner’s shirt once more. 

“Uh, yeah. I mean, I’ve managed it a couple of times.” 

“What about tonight?” 

“Depends on how good you are.” 

Kayden pounces him. Literally. Tanner’s suddenly flat on his back, Kayden straddling his hips, mouth close to Tanner’s ear as he purrs, “Wouldn’t you prefer me to be bad, instead of good?” 

“Hnuk,” Tanner says eloquently. 

“I’ll bet you do. I’ll bet good boy Tanner wants to get all down and dirty with the best bad influence he knows.” 

Tanner finds words, somehow. “I’m telling Sat you think you’re a worse influence than she is.” 

“I don’t see you begging Sat to fuck you in the ass.” Kayden tugs on Tanner’s shirt until Tanner moves enough to help him get it off. “I don’t see you coming back to Sat nearly every damn week so she can blow you in an adult video arcade.” When he goes for Tanner’s pants, the button of the fly pops off. Kayden ignores this, raking them down as fast as he can. “And I sure as shit don’t see you paying Sat two hundred bucks so you can fuck all night long.” 

Then his mouth is closing wet and warm over Tanner’s cock, and Tanner _howls_ . 

He’s not all the way hard again yet, but jesus _fuck_ he’s moving a lot faster toward it than he was thirty seconds ago. Kayden’s licking at the underside of his shaft, then lapping at his balls, then swirling his tongue around the head of Tanner’s cock. The whole time he’s doing it he’s making little greedy sounds like he’s starving and this is his first meal in months. 

“Ah—ah— _fuck_ —” 

Kayden growls around his mouthful and then dips down, sucking Tanner all the way in, until Tanner’s cockhead hits the back of his throat and Kayden’s nose is pressed right up against the tight curls around the base of his shaft. It must be horribly hard for Kayden to breathe, Tanner thinks muzzily, and then he remembers he should probably keep breathing as well. 

Kayden shoves his arms under Tanner’s thighs, clinging to him, and makes a very satisfied noise when Tanner groans. He’s still got Tanner’s entire length in his mouth when he does it and it sets Tanner off moaning again. 

“Kayden. _Kayden_ .” 

Kayden lifts his head. “I really don’t know what’s more important than this right now, but go on.” His mouth is wet, lips reddened. 

Tanner has to work to pull his thoughts together again. “I—” He gestures far too nonspecifically. “Can we—” 

Kayden waits. 

“I want to taste you too,” Tanner says in a rush. “I trust you and I know you cleaned up properly and I—” 

Kayden’s already moving, turning to lie alongside him. Tanner scoots down to get his mouth at the right height and rolls onto his side, pillowing his head on Kayden’s thigh and spreading his own legs wider, feeling the bristle of Kayden’s hair rub against his skin as Kayden adjusts to the new position. Kayden’s cock is half hard and looks like it only needs Tanner to breathe on it right to get him all the way up. 

“This may not work all that well,” Kayden cautions him. 

“Want to try.” 

“I’m fine w— _fuck_ !” Kayden’s whole body jerks as Tanner tires of discussing the logistics and licks the head of Kayden’s cock. “Fuck, again, _again_ —” 

Tanner pushes in closer and closes his lips around the crown of Kayden’s cock. The heavy weight of it against his tongue is—not familiar, exactly, not since he’s only done this once and certainly not from this angle—a sensation that he finds incredibly appealing despite his inexperience. The taste is not as bitter as he’d expected, although maybe that’s because it’s only pre-come. 

At first it seems like Kayden’s not going to pick up where he left off, which Tanner is fine with because he’s got to give himself time to get used to exactly what the fuck it is he’s doing here. With a little maneuvering he can get his hand around Kayden’s shaft and work once more to get Kayden’s cock deep enough into his mouth that his lips touch his fingers. He can feel the deep breaths Kayden’s taking and it’s only then that Tanner understands: Kayden’s trying not to just lose control right away. _Again_ . 

He feels so powerful. 

Of course, then Kayden actually does start sucking him off again, and there’s no hesitance or careful adjustment from him; one second his breath is warm against Tanner’s cock but that’s all there is, and the next he’s back where he was, Tanner’s cock pressed snugly along his tongue as though neither of them moved. 

Both of them moan in chorus, the sound itself muffled but the sensation undeniably delicious. Kayden starts long pulls of his mouth along Tanner’s shaft, his fingers ringed loosely around the base; Tanner does his best to emulate him and is rewarded with something that feels like part moan, part laugh. 

_I’ll give you laughing, you dick_ , Tanner thinks. 

Sometimes in the darkroom the smell of chemicals gets so pungent that he finds himself holding his breath until his head swims. Tanner inhales deeply now—and the scent of Kayden’s skin is intoxicating—and reminds himself he’s allowed to pause or even stop if he needs to. 

Then he begins sucking Kayden in deeper. It’s hard work. Kayden’s _thick_ , and it makes his jaw stretch, saliva gathering under his tongue. Instinctively he swallows and Kayden whimpers, a soft vibration around Tanner’s cock. Tanner takes another inch, exhales through his nose, keeps going. The tip of Kayden’s cock nudges his soft palate and he pauses, drawing in another sip of air. Kayden’s mouth has stilled on him; Tanner can feel his uneven breathing and the rub of Kayden’s tongue along the bottom of his shaft. It might almost be enough. 

He’s really not sure how far he can take this. 

He’s _very_ sure he wants to try for as much as he can. 

Tanner lets his jaw relax and nuzzles closer in between Kayden’s thighs. Kayden lets out a long moan as he does so, as though it’s just occurred to him that Tanner didn’t suggest this just for shits and giggles. Tanner can’t do much with his hand any more—not enough room—and moves it to Kayden’s thigh. He can feel the tension in the muscle under his palm. 

Everything else fades away. All Tanner feels, all he _is_ , is the weight of Kayden’s cock in his mouth and the sensation of Kayden’s mouth around his cock. He breathes in, sucks slow and hard, and Kayden does the same in return. It turns quickly into a feedback loop of pleasure and they’re in sync in a way he’s not sure he’s ever experienced before. 

Suddenly the wet heat is gone off him as Kayden pulls back. 

“Tanner, _Tanner_ , _fuck_ —” 

His cock jerks on Tanner’s tongue and floods Tanner’s mouth, thick and salty but with an indefinable sweetness. Tanner chokes a little—there’s a _lot_ to deal with—but stubbornly keeps swallowing, feeling the last smaller pulses on his tongue. He’s too fascinated by the sensation to mind overmuch that all Kayden’s mouth is currently doing is repeating his name interspersed with curses. 

Tanner pulls back at last, when it’s clear that Kayden’s done. He lets his tongue trail along Kayden’s shaft to pick up any drops that he missed, and Kayden shivers, letting out a breathy sigh. 

“Dear god,” he says unsteadily. 

“Mmmm.” Tanner sits up and runs his hand along Kayden’s thigh. “You look amazing,” is what comes out of his mouth next, because Kayden looks _wrecked_ . “I’m so glad I can see your face.” 

Kayden sits up as well, hanging his head a little. “You didn’t come,” is all he says, and Tanner’s heart hurts a little at his tone. 

“This isn’t about you doing your job.” He puts a fingertip under Kayden’s chin. “Look at me. You think I’m not enjoying this?” 

“I just wanted to taste you,” Kayden says softly. 

“It’s definitely not too late for that.” Tanner kisses his lips and stands up. Kayden gives him a quizzical look. “Lie back down. On your back. Head over the edge of the bed.” 

Heat returns to Kayden’s eyes. “Oh, Tanner… I think you’ve been watching _pornography_ .” He moves obediently to take up the requested position. “You dirty boy. What would your parents think?” 

Tanner stands over him, fist around his cock, squeezing lightly. “They’d think I probably didn’t spend my Christmas money on camera equipment.” 

Kayden closes his eyes. “Fuck.” His voice is raw. 

Tanner rubs his cockhead over Kayden’s lips. “Open up.” 

It feels different again from this angle and yet familiar, pushing into Kayden’s hot mouth. Kayden grips his thighs, urging him closer, and Tanner goes where he’s taken, holding onto the head of the bed for support. He tries to hold back but Kayden’s pulling at him and he drives in harder than intended. 

“ _Unh_ ,” Kayden grunts. 

“Too much?” 

“More,” Kayden says, thoroughly garbled. “More more more.” 

Tanner gives him more, pushes his cock along Kayden’s tongue, and pauses to listen for any sounds of protest. 

Kayden pushes a fingertip into his ass, reeling him in, and Tanner gives into dirty base desire and just _fucks_ into his mouth, shoving all the way in until his balls smack against Kayden’s face, and his cockhead—oh god, he can _see_ it, see Kayden’s throat clenching around it. 

The noise Kayden makes is primal and profound and _satisfied_ , the groan equivalent of _about fucking time_ . 

“Jesus fuck—” Tanner pulls back a couple of inches, slams back in, planting his other hand on Kayden’s chest and driving down into Kayden’s willing throat, relishing every grunt and groan that Kayden forces out around his cock. Kayden’s finger quests deeper inside him, finds just the right spot. 

“Take it, take it all.” Tanner stops talking then, too focused on the fact that Kayden _is_ taking it all, swallowing around him, his cockhead and Kayden’s Adam’s apple both visible at Kayden’s throat when Tanner looks down. 

Tanner feels himself go, shooting hot down Kayden’s throat. He’s vaguely aware of making noise, his own throat vibrating with it. Kayden swallows and sucks and the finger inside Tanner twists and rubs mercilessly. 

He pulls out and smears the last few drops over Kayden’s cheek. Kayden laughs breathlessly. 

“Marking your territory?” 

“Yes.” Tanner takes a step sideways before his shaking legs give in to gravity and he collapses onto the bed. Kayden sits up, wiping his hands clean yet again, but leaves the streak of come on his cheek. He tugs Tanner’s upper body around until he’s at least sort of lying on the bed with his head vaguely near the pillows, and then tucks a pillow under Tanner’s head before curling up against him, a hand on Tanner’s chest. He looks supremely pleased with himself. 

“Was that what you wanted?” Tanner’s throat hurts; he must’ve been louder than he realized. 

“I can die happy now,” Kayden says solemnly before bursting out into a surprising gigglefit. “Fuck. I mean... _fuck_ .” 

“Yeah.” Tanner’s ass aches somewhat from getting fucked, his throat hurts from screaming, and his whole body is worn out for the time being. He gets an arm around Kayden and pulls him close, kissing Kayden’s wet, crimson lips. Kayden snuggles in even closer, which was not something that Tanner expected but which is nonetheless very welcome. “This has all been amazing.” 

“Got your money’s worth?” 

Tanner doesn’t say that he felt he’d got his money’s worth the moment he turned around at the café to see that Kayden _had_ followed him out, after all. Instead he just smiles slyly. “Maybe… if I wake you up during the night for some more, are you going to say no?” 

“No,” Kayden says instantly. “Is midnight sex on your wishlist? Because we’ve missed it by like an hour.” 

“Not in those words. Is there a best way to wake you up? You’re not going to lash out if I shake you awake, are you?” 

Kayden presses his forehead to Tanner’s. “Tanner, you could wake me up with a finger in my ass and I’d roll over and spread my legs for you.” The honesty in his voice is dangerous in its rawness. “You could wake me up by rubbing your dick on my lips and I’d open up for you.” 

“I’d rather wake you like this,” Tanner says, kissing him. 

It’s long and sweet and tender, their tongues moving lazily against each other, arms and legs tangling together as they press closer into each other. 

“I’m not Sleeping fucking Beauty,” Kayden says. 

“So? I’m not Prince Charming,” Tanner says. 

A devilish smile lights up Kayden’s face. “Does that mean I don’t get to ride you into the sunset?” 

The mental image of Kayden atop him, riding his cock, probably jerking off at the same time, makes Tanner close his eyes and moan. “Oh fuck. You have the best ideas.” 

“I’m the best worst influence,” Kayden agrees. “Right now I need a nap.” 

“Yeah, I’m feeling ready to sleep as well.” Tanner makes a motion as though to let Kayden go, but Kayden only tightens his arm across Tanner’s chest, his leg across Tanner’s thigh. 

Tanner’s more than happy to stay in the embrace and let sleep take them both. 

* * *

Tanner wakes at five-thirty needing to pee. Kayden has disentangled himself somewhat but his head is still on Tanner’s shoulder; Tanner slides out from under him and picks his way across the small space to the bathroom. He uses the toilet blearily, washes his hands, brushes his teeth with a dab of toothpaste on one finger, and then steps into the shower. He doesn’t exactly feel dirty, but he does feel like freshening up before whatever the morning brings. 

He’s gotten as far as soaping his left arm before Kayden squishes into the not exactly spacious stall with him. 

“I woke up alone,” Kayden informs him, wrapping his arms around Tanner’s waist. “If I go to bed accompanied, I don’t like waking up alone.” 

“I wasn’t going to disappear,” Tanner says, turning to put his arm around Kayden in return. “I just wanted to get cleaned up a little for you.” 

“How very sweet of you, Prince Charming.” Kayden still looks troubled. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Do you ever, you know. Have dreams. About the mountain?” 

Under the stark white light of the uncovered bathroom bulb, Tanner can see the scars on Kayden’s arms. He didn’t notice last night, not even when he was doing his utmost to touch Kayden everywhere he could. 

“Sometimes,” he admits. 

“I dreamed.” Kayden’s voice is halting. “I dreamed that because your sleeping bag got ruined on the fence, you shared with me.” 

“You romantic idiot,” Tanner says lightly. 

Kayden punches his upper arm. “Shut up, okay? And we got real close… jerked each other off, trying not to make any noise.” He licks his lips. “Then we went to sleep and when I woke up something had slit the bag open and there was blood and you were gone. And then I _really_ woke up and you were gone.” 

Tanner doesn’t think he’s seen Kayden this vulnerable in his _life_ . 

“Oh, fuck. I’m sorry.” Tanner gathers him in even closer, kissing his forehead. “It’s okay. I’m here.” 

Kayden just lifts his head to find Tanner’s mouth and kisses him, deep and hard under the intermittent spray from the shitty shower head. Tanner returns the kiss, finds the soap and rubs bubbles over them both, washing away the mess they’ve made between them and the stains of Kayden’s nightmare. 

He knows Kayden’s feeling better when Kayden starts touching him in return, running his hands all over Tanner’s back and sides and ass. Tanner’s own hands are far from idle, one parting Kayden’s cheeks to rub a fingertip over the tight flesh of his entrance. Kayden goes “Ngh!” and bucks back against it. 

“If we go back to bed are you just going to get me dirty again?” Tanner can’t help asking, finger circling. 

Kayden gives him that devilish look again. “Do you want me to?” 

“Yes.” 

“How?” 

“You still want to ride me?” 

Kayden closes his eyes for a moment. “Fuck, yes.” 

“Then I have some ideas.” 

There’s a sudden chilly space where Kayden was and Tanner’s holding nothing but air. Kayden’s out of the shower and shoving a spare towel at him. 

“Dry off. You’re not coming to bed wet.” 

“Are you afraid it might actually clean the sheets?” 

Kayden just holds his arms out and Tanner steps out of the shower into the rough sensation of the towel folding around him. Kayden holds him for just a moment, looking into his eyes, and there’s something deep in his gaze that scares Tanner a little. 

Then Kayden shivers and grabs for his own towel, and the moment passes. 

* * *

Kayden _does_ ride him, after plenty of playing and teasing from both of them. He kneels astride Tanner as Tanner lies back against the mismatched pillows, engulfing Tanner’s cock so slowly that Tanner’s begging and jerking his hips before Kayden’s even halfway done. 

He can’t do more than that, though, because Kayden made good on another idle comment, and Tanner’s wrists are bound to the head of the bed with what is probably the only tie that Kayden owns. 

“Do you know. How good you look. When you can’t get away?” Kayden puts his hands on Tanner’s chest, takes another inch. 

“Don’t want to get away. Fuck.” 

“I know you want to fuck.” Kayden rolls his hips and Tanner moans. “I know you want to grab me. Make me ride you harder. Til you come your fucking brains out.” He suddenly _shoves_ down the rest of the way, grunting with the effort, and oh hell—watching him take his pleasure is one of the _sexiest_ things Tanner’s ever seen. “Then what, huh? You gonna get down on your knees like a good little prayboy and blow me?” 

Tanner moans, inarticulate in the face of this. 

“Yeah,” Kayden breathes. “That’d be something to confess, wouldn’t it? Throwing away good money on filthy fucking. Begging to take it up the ass. Drinking down all my come, every drop—” 

“Kayden, fucking hell—” Tanner strains against the knots at his wrists, not with the intent to escape, but wanting to feel the chafe and tug, the extra reminder that he really is at Kayden’s mercy here. Just because he’s the one with his cock inside Kayden doesn’t mean he’s in control. 

Kayden’s fingers tug at Tanner’s nipples. “Your whole damn body’s hard and aching, isn’t it?” 

“Yes.” 

“Wanna come?” 

“ _Yes_ .” 

“Too bad,” Kayden says. “I haven’t had enough yet.” And he keeps rocking on Tanner’s cock, one hand creeping now to wrap around his own shaft. Tanner’s eyes track it and Kayden notices. “Something wrong? Afraid of getting dirty?” 

“No.” 

“Do you _want_ to get dirty?” 

Tanner looks Kayden in the eye, which is difficult because Kayden’s still moving and also he’s enthralled by Kayden’s hand pumping his cock, by the thick wet bead forming at the tip. “Yes.” 

Kayden makes an unintelligible noise, and the bead of pre-come drops to Tanner’s stomach. Kayden _squeezes_ and another drop follows, until his cock is outright dripping onto Tanner. 

He’s not neglecting Tanner, though. Tanner can feel the way that his body is responding: hotter, more pressure, the generous amount of lube on the condom not negating the way that Kayden’s tightness squeezes around Tanner’s cock. Kayden keeps lifting up just enough when Tanner’s close, though, to keep him from plunging over the edge. 

The dawn’s light is creeping around the edges of the blinds, painting Kayden’s skin pink and gold, turning the purple in his hair into something ethereal. His cheeks are red as he strives atop Tanner; his cockhead is dark with blood, gleaming with pre-come that still drips steadily onto Tanner’s pale skin. 

“Please,” Tanner whispers. 

“What?” 

“I want to come. I need to come in you.” 

Kayden’s body shudders. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Jesus.” Kayden licks his lips. “I could stay here all day. Just looking at you. Fuck. You’re fucking beautiful, Tanner.” 

“I’ll look even better with your come covering me,” Tanner says, and Kayden _wails_ , cock pulsing in his hand, shooting over Tanner’s stomach and chest. Tanner feels it hit his skin, thick and warm, and feels himself go. Buried deep in Kayden’s welcoming flesh, latex barrier between them, he can nonetheless imagine how it would be to fill Kayden up, feel that fluid dripping down out of him, smearing over them both. 

* * *

“You were right, Tanner.” 

“Hmmm?” 

“You do look better covered in my come. Oh God.” 

“What?” 

“If—can I use your camera? Will you print it if I do?” 

“You want a _photo_ of me like this?” 

“I’ll get in the frame too, then we’re both in trouble if anyone finds it.” 

“Are you going to untie me first?” 

“No. Oh, damn.” 

“ _Now_ what?” 

“Dropped the lens cap in... uh, I hope it’s washable.” 

“You are fucking horrible.” 

“Shut up and smile.” 

* * *

After that there doesn’t seem to be any point in trying to sleep. Tanner reheats two slices of pizza, walking around the room while they revolve in the microwave, shaking the ache out of his shoulders and wrists. There’s a red chafe mark encircling the latter. He's got his shirt back on, hanging open, mostly to avoid dripping pizza grease on himself. He's already had his second shower of the day; he doesn't want them to run out of hot water. 

Kayden eats one slice of pizza cold and laughs when Tanner looks revolted. 

“Pardon me for not wanting to burn my mouth.” 

“It would make it hard for you to do your job,” Tanner agrees, and Kayden looks shocked for a second before laughing again. 

“Like a surgeon breaking their fingers.” 

Tanner blows delicately on one of his slices, touches his tongue-tip to it, and then feeds Kayden a bite once he’s confirmed that the cheese isn’t molten lava. Kayden closes his eyes while he's chewing, expression thoughtful. 

“How long are you expecting this to last?” 

Tanner glances at the microwave clock, sees it’s only seven in the morning, and cracks open a soda anyway. His tongue feels fuzzy; toothpaste on a finger does not make for the most diligent brushing implement. “I don’t know, do you have work tonight?” 

“Yes, from four.” Kayden steals the can and gulps down half of it, letting out a resounding burp. “That wasn’t what I meant, though.” 

“You mean how much time do I think I paid for? I guess I figured just one night. Also, excuse you, piglet.” 

“‘Scuse me.” Kayden exaggeratedly pats his mouth. “That wasn’t what I meant either.” 

Tanner puts down the pizza slice he was about to bite into. “What _did_ you mean, then?” 

Kayden closes the gap between them (and it is a very small gap; they have not spent much of this long night terribly far apart) and pulls Tanner into a long kiss. He’s shaking. Actually shaking, like he was in the shower, and Tanner can’t process why, because it’s daylight and they’re awake and there are no dreams here. 

“You could stay here when you come up to the city for work. Instead of, you know, spending money on whatever flea-infested mattress in an alley you’ve been using up until now.” 

Maybe just one dream. 

“I’d like that,” Tanner says carefully, because it seems like Kayden might break if he says the wrong thing. He’s seen broken Kayden before. It’s not a pretty sight. 

“I won’t even make you pay rent.” 

“I’ll help put food in your fridge that isn’t rancid yoghurt.” 

“I _told_ Tiff that health food was bad for you.” 

“I think you need to actually eat it before you can make that call.” 

Kayden just kisses him again and then pulls away. He’s wearing only Tanner’s plaid boxers, and they don’t fit terribly well, strained across the front. “Finish your breakfast and come back to bed.” 

“Already?” 

“You said you could come four times in a day,” Kayden reminds him. 

“Yeah, but I’m already up to three.” 

“No, you’re up to one. The counter resets when you sleep.” 

The smirk on Kayden’s face has Tanner shoving the uneaten pizza back in the fridge and following him across the room. 

* * *

Kayden still makes Tanner walk a few paces behind him when he drops Kayden off at work that afternoon, but Tanner catches up with him in the black-painted front hallway of the store and kisses him one more time. He tastes like strawberry Lip Smacker this time, and has hastily painted pink nails. 

“Pick you up at midnight?” 

“Can you make it one? Tiff’s going to grill me about this, and I might as well give her a proper amount of time to do so, otherwise she might decide she’s going to follow me home.” Kayden presses something into Tanner’s hand. “Here. Get that duplicated.” 

Tanner looks down; it’s a key. 

“You really mean it.” 

“I really mean it, you dork.” 

“Okay. Go on, you’re going to be late for your shift of giving strangers head.” 

“Oh honey, you’re so domestic,” Kayden says, flipping him off—kissing the fingertip—and strutting into the store. Tanner’s half tempted to follow him, just to see what kind of conversation Tiff reels him into, but it’s Sunday; he doesn’t have much time before any open locksmiths close. 

His hand closes tightly around the key. Tanner starts back toward his car. His cheeks hurt again, from smiling. 


End file.
